The reports cover the period from January 8 through January 15, 2013, and notices of contributions of $400 or more received after the deadline must be filed with the board, according to a letter to the candidates from the CFPDB.

DFL: Johnson and Johnson reports

Second-place DFL candidate Karl Johnson, who has suspended his campaign following Saturday's convention that endorsed fellow Democrat Clark Johnson on the fourth ballot, lead the pack. Karl Johnson, a successful pork producer from rural North Mankato, raised $7,745 by January 15, and filed one 24-hour notice of a large contribution received on January 16 for $500. Most of Karl Johnson's large contributors are area farmers or individuals working in Southern Minnesota's flourishing ag sector.

No spending was reported.

DFL endorsed candidate Clark Johnson raised $1780 by the January 15 deadline, including a $500 check from the MnSCU professors' union, the IFO. Following the deadline, the Clark Johnson campaign received $500 from the Nicollet County DFL on January 19 and $500 from Evelyn Solo of North Mankato on January 20. The Clark Johnson campaign reported spending $301.87, largely for costs related to a mailing and setting up a bank account.

No reports are available online for the Robin Courrier and Tim Strand campaigns.

IP: Gieseke gives and spend $100

Independence Party candidate Tim Gieseke contributed $100 to his campaign, which was spent on a single non-campaign disbursement, presumably filing for office. He has told media that he does not intend to spend a great deal of time fundraising; his report reveals that he is a man of his word.

By January 22, however, Gieseke had raised the $1500 in small contributions required to receive the available public subsidy, filing the required Affidavit of Contributions.

Endorsed Republican Allen Quist reports receiving total contributions of $3469.98 by January 15; $2969.98 of the total came from individual contributions, with a $500 check from Michele Bachmann's MICHELE PAC topping off the till.

Quist gave $500 to his own campaign, as did John Roise of North Mankato. Emily Gruenhagen, spouse of Minnesota state representative Glenn Gruenhagen (R-Glencoe), gave $150; the Quists and Gruenhagens are old friends and allies. New Ulm Republican Joshua Wilkening gave $250.

The Quist campaign spent $962.98 by January 15, with $725.11 going toward printing and postage for a mailing.

The rest of the spending was non-campaign disbursements to Election Mall, a vendor in Washington, D.C., for credit card processing fees incurred mostly on January 15. Since each fee lists a contributor, the expenses provide a glimpse into the individuals giving money to the Quist campaign, presumably via the fundraising email Bachmann sent out on Allen Quist's behalf on January 15.

On January 14, Robert Wehrwein, Bruce Harpel, and Connie Takala each gave to the Quist campaign, with credit card processing fees ranging from $2.23 to $9.48 being billed to the committee. Presumably these are contributions of $100 or under received by January 15, or larger contributions of less than $400 received after the January 15 deadline (presuming that the money itself did not reach the campaign by the deadline). The Quist campaign has not filed any 24-hour notices of large contributions received after the filing deadline.

It's an interesting snapshot of the Bachmann fundraising machine, and fair warning to the DFL that it simply can't coast in a Democratic-leaning district. Voter contact and turnout will be key to this special election, and Democrats can't be certain that Quist's name recognition will drive citizens to the polls on February 12 to vote for Clark Johnson.

The Minnesota House District 19A special election on February 12 will fill an open seat created by the resignation of Terry Morrow to take a job in Chicago. Since there is no primary in the special election in House District 14A, prompted by the resignation of Steve Gottwalt to become a lobbyist, no pre-primary reports were required in that race.